Self-propelling vehicle



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

R H. PLASS.

SEEE PEOPELLING VEHICLE.

N0. 583,154. Patented May 25,1897.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. H. PLASS. SELF PROBBLLING VEHIGLL No. 583,154. Patented May 25,1897.

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R. H. lPLASS.

SELF PEOPELLING VEHICLE. 515.583,154. Patented May 25,1897,

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REUBN H. PLASS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SELF-PROPELLING VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATTON foi-ming part of Letters Patent No, 583,154, dated May 25, Y1897.

Application filed April 20, 1895.

T0 @ZZ whom zit may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN H. PLAss, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Propelling Vehicles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to self-propelling vehicles.

The object of the invention is to produce a self-propelling vehicle which shall be provided wit-h an engine contained in small compass and capable of propelling the vehicle at varying rates of speed.

Further,the object of the in ven tion is to produce a vehicle of the kind referred to having its front or guiding wheels so arranged and capable of such manipulations .as to enable the vehicle to be turned in small space.

Vith these objects in view the invention consists of a vehicle constructed substantially as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the vehicle, the side of the body being removed in order to show the interior arrangements of the parts. Fig. 2 is a plan view, the front Wheels being shown in dotted lines in the position assumed in turning the vehicle to the right. Fig. 3 is afront view; and Fig. Ltis arear view,

. the rear portion of the body being removed.

Inthe drawings, A represents the body of the vehicle, which is shown as supported on four Wheels, the rear Wheels a being, as shown, mounted on a fixed axle A2 and rigidly attached thereto. The front wheels a are mounted on short axles A3, which are provided wit-h vertical projections a2, which are received by sleeves o3, rigidly secured to the body of the vehicle. Interposed between the axles AS and the sleeves are coil-springs a4, upon which the weight of the forward part of the vehicle comes. The vertical portions o2 are provided with cross-pieces d5, and to the ends of each of these cross-pieces are connected chains, ropes, or the like, o6, which Serial No. 546,557. (No model.)

pass around a standard a7 in the center of the forward part of the vehicle. This standard a7 is provided with a cross-bar as, to which are attached straps a9, or with a handle d10, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, by which the standard may be rotated. By this arrangement it will be seen that by rotating the standard in either direction motion will be transmitted to the axles through their upright portions a2, and in this way the direction ofthe wheels and thev direction of the movement of the vehicle may be regulated.

A propelling-power for the vehicle is provided by an engine B, which may be a gasolene, naphtha, or other similar engine. Arranged in the rear of the engine, and preferably beneath the seat of the vehicle, is a tank C, containing hydrocarbon and connected to the engine by a pipe c, through which the necessary supply is conveyed to the engine. The spark for igniting the charges of the hydrocarbon in the engine is furnished by a batteryD, having Wires d, connected with the engine.

At one side of the engine is arranged a water-tank E, which furnishes a circulation of water around the cylinder of the engine.

The main shaft B2 of the engine is provided y at its rear end with a friction-head b, through which power is communicated to frictiondisks F F, connected to the rear axle A2 of the vehicle in such Way as to turn therewith and at the same time to have a sliding movement thereon.

The direction of movement and the speed of motion of the vehicle is regulated by the contact of the disks F F With the frictionhead b.

The outward movements of the frictiondisks'are regulated by collars f. Fixed to the rear axle and arranged between the friction-disks is a coil-spring f2, the tendency of which is to force them apart. Each frictiondisk is provided with a shank having a circumferential groove f3, into which project levers f4. The movement of these levers or their pivots f5 regulates the contact of the friction-disks with the friction-head on the engine-shaft. Motion is given the levers f4 through levers f6, pivotally mounted on the floor of the vehicle adjacent to the seat. These levers are connected by chains or ropes ICO f7 to bell-crank levers f8 to the levers f4. By this it will be seen that by pressing on one or the other of the levers f6 the corresponding friction-disk F will be brought into contact with the friction-head b. The direction of movement is determined by pressing one or the other of the friction-disks, and the speed may be governed by regulat-ing the pressure on the levers fr.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire t0 secure by Letters Patent, is-

A self-propelling vehicle having an engine mounted thereon, an engine-shaft having a friction-head, an axle having supportingwheels rigidly attached thereto, disks mount- REUBEIT II. ILASS.

\Vitnesses:

THos. S. HOPKINS, F. Il. SMITH. 

